Water faucet



, w. aMERRuQL Feb. 6, 1.1923

WATER FAUCET Filed Feb.

Patented eh. '5, i923.

i. @Si

'WATER Application filed February To all whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that l, l/Vi-Irrnnr if' genuina, a citizen or" the UnitedStates, residing at the city and county ci San Francisco and State ofCalifornia, have invented new and .useful lmprovements in Water Faucets,ot

which the 'following is a specification.

This invention relates to a water faucet, and especially to faucets ot`the sett-closing WPG,-

@ne ot rthe objects of the present invention is in general to improveand s'mplii'y the construction ot' water faucets, to reduce the numberot parts employed, to lessen the cost ot manufacture, and especially toprovidea self-closing Yfaucet in which wear and leakage will he reducedto minimum.

Another object ot the invention is to provide a faucet in which allparts are readily nremovable to facilitate inspection, repairs, etc.,and in which the valve is closed and normally maintained in contact withits seat by a spring; said spring being,v adjustable so that variationsin wat. pressure may be readily taken care or'. l

Further objects will hereinatter zuipear.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction, combinationand arrangement of parts as hereinafter more fully dcscribed andclaimed, having reference to the accompanying' drawings, in which- Fig.1 is a side elevation oi the valve.

2 is a central vertical l0n""tudinal section through the same.

Referring to the drawings in detaiL A indicates in general a casingwhich divided into three sections, to-wit, an integral valve housingsection or neclr 2, a spout or nozzle section 3, and a connecting orsupporting section le Formed intermediate the sections 3 and 4 is avalve seat section 5 in which is formed al central opening 6, saidopening forming a communication between the passage formed in thespout 3and a passage 7 formed in the connection 4C. Formed interior of thesection @and in alignment with the valve seat 5 is a chamber 8. Theupper portion oi this chamber is threaded as at 9 and is adapted toreceive a cap 10 and an intermediate guide member 11. Formed in theguide 11 is a central opening in which is slidably mounted a valve stem12. Secured on the lower end ot said stem'is a valve 13, and formed inthe tace FAUCET.

2, `w21. Serial No. 441,800.

any suitable manner or as here shown by a screw 16. Formed in the guidemember ll is an annular groove 1T for the rece@ oi a suitable pa lil andenga therewith is a mov..-e packing glane 12'), and interposed betweenthe gland and the member 13 is a helical spring' 20 wh' mally exertssuilicient pres vire on tl to maintain it in closed position. i A in thecap 10 is a central recess 21 into which the upper end ot the valve stemextends. rlhis recess forms a 1guide "for the upper end ot the stein andalso limits the upward move ment thereof. Formed in the for-.vard sideot the cas'lng, section 2 is verL :ally dif 4posed slot and extendingthrough said .slot and a slot 25 formed in the valve stem is a` handle2f, on the outer end ci" which is formed a thumb piece 27. The handle isemployed for the purpose oi openiiu; the valvel by imparting a verticalmovement thereto, and it is also hook shaped as shown in Figs. 1 a .d 2to permit a buclret or like receptacle to be supported therefrom; the.we'ant ol' said rec' tacle under ordinary Vcircumstzuices sing;`-infliciein; to maintain the valve in open position while the,rw-eptacle is being filled. Thehandle is otherwise provided with anotch or recess 28 which engages a support 2S) termed in the lower endof the slot 24. The support 29 terms a pivotal point about which thehandle 2G swings when operated, and the notch -08 serves the function ofretaininf1` the han- -dle against accidental endwise. remoral withrelation to the slot and the valve stein. The, slot 241 is howeversutciently long; to permit the handle to he lifted vertically asuliicient distance to clear the notch 28 with relation to the supportor shoulder 29. rllrs permits the handle to be readily removed whenoccasion may demand.

From the 'foregoing description it can be seen that an exceedinglysimple faucet has been provided, that is a faucet which is simple andsubstantial in construction and from which the operating parts may bereadily removed for inspection, repair, etc. For instance it it iscesired to renew the gasket 15, it will only be necessary to remove thehandle 26, the cap 10 and the guide member 11; the cap 10 beingunscrewed by an ordinary wrench, and the guide member 11 by a socketwrench; a slot beiner formed in the upper end ot the guide member topermit engagement and turning movement by means el: a socketirren@`suitable con- Another important `feature of the present invention is theprovision ot a guide meniber which is vertically adjustable withrelation'to the valve stein. This is o' iniportanee lit permitsadjustment ot the spring ll. For instance in certain instances it isfound that the water pressure' in the city mains averages approximatelyforty pounds tothe square inch; in suoli instances it is necessary toturn the guidemember or lower the saine until the compression olf thespring lll is suflieient to hold the valve against the seat, and besidesexert suflicient pressure to prevent leakage between the valve seat andthe gasket l5. It the hydrostatic head or Water pressure is less, it ispossible to reduce the spring tension by again adjusting' the guidemember, and conversely, it higher water pressures are encountered,lfurther pressure ot the spring may have to be exerted by lowering theguide member; the lowering or raising of the guide memberbeingaccomplished by turning the same, as it is entirely held inposition by the internally threaded portion shown.

Alno'ther important feature is the provi sion of' a selfetighteningpacking gland, that is the gland 19 is constantly subjected to thepressure orI tension of the spring ll and as such maintains the packing18 under such pressure that it automatically packs about the stem aswear takes place, thus reducing leakage to a minimum.

another important feature is the provision `of a handle which may serveas a hoolishaped support for cooking utensils, such as buckets', hetWater lrettles, etc.; further a handle which may be readily removedwhenever desired; This feature should be a decided advantage Wherechildren are in the habit or' constantly tampering or playing with thefaucets.

lfVhile certain features of the present invention are more or lessspeeilically illus` trated, l Wish it understood that various changes interm and proportion may be resorted to Withinthe V'scope et the appendedclaims, similarly that the materials and finish olf the severalvpartsemployed may be and provided with a stern extending into the said neck,a spring arranged on the stem for urging the valve to its seat, a. leverent-ending through the opening in the neclr and operatively connecteolwith the valve stem, and a guide member supported by the neelr below thesaid opening andreceiving and guiding the stern, and having a packingconstituting the packing et the t'aucet and forming an abutment Jfor thesaid spring;

2. il y aucet of the character t described, comprising a casing having avalve seatand provided with an integral neclr having an opening', avalve cooperating with the valve seat and having `a stein extending intothe necllf, a lever passing through the said opening` and operativelyconnected with the said stem, a spring disposed on the valve stem torurging the valve to its seat, and a guide member adjustably mounted inthe neck below the saidi'opening and receiving andv guidingthe stem andprovided in itslovver face with an annular groove and having a packingarranged in the said groove constituting the packing ot the faucet andforniing an `abutment for the spring.

Wl-HTNEY S. MERRILL.

